So far this year alone has seen North Korea launch at least 18 rounds of missiles, which included its first intercontinental ballistic missile tests since 2017, in significant timing given also the world's attention has been focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea imposed a nationwide lockdown Thursday to control its first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak after holding for more than two years to a widely doubted claim of a perfect record keeping out the virus that has spread to nearly every place in the world.